This invention relates generally to golf apparatus and, more particularly, to a golf tee which is particularly well suited for use as a practice tee.
Practice for the game of golf frequently takes place at a golf driving range. Conventional driving ranges typically provide two types of practice tee or hitting areas. The first type of hitting area includes an artificial turf mat having a permanently installed tubular tee extension. The golfer stands on the mat and hits the practice golf balls from the tubular tee. One particular drawback of this arrangement is that the footing offered by the artificial turf mat does not duplicate the actual footing the golfer will encounter in playing a round of golf.
The other type of hitting area typically provided at a driving range is a grassy area which will provide the type of footing usually encountered on an actual golf course. One of the particular drawbacks of such natural grass hitting areas is that, when a conventional tee is used to support the golf ball, the tee will more likely than be knocked out of position at best, or lost or broken at worst, during each practice drive. Tees which are not lost or broken must be reinserted into the ground, and time, which could otherwise be devoted to actual golf practice, is lost.
In view of the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a practice golf tee which can be used in grassy areas and which provides the teeing convenience usually associated with artificial turf mats.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a practice golf tee which can be used in a grassy area without requiring repositioning of the tee following each practice swing.